Podcast
The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim
Hosted by Sky News · EN
Sky News’ Yalda Hakim and NBC’s Richard Engel have covered world events for years. This is the podcast where they share experiences from the frontline.
They debrief from global flashpoints and discuss their encounters with the biggest decision makers. They’ll also be joined by some of those key players to help make sense of world events.
From conflict in the Middle East, to the Trump presidency, and the war in Ukraine there is no better place for analysis and expertise
New episodes from Richard and Yalda every Wednesday.
93episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
China versus America: who will win the AI race?
6d ago00:28:38Summary readyWill China ever produce an Elon Musk?Kyle Chan, research fellow at the Brookings Institution and an expert on the AI race between the two superpowers thinks not.He talks to Yalda about the new Cold War - the race for the best AI between China and America.The two talk about Taiwan, Tehran and the different ways that each country approaches AI research and development. Could the Chinese government actually be holding progress back?You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.ukYou can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryRobots on the frontline: Is Ukraine now winning the war?
2w ago00:39:39Summary readyFully automated frontlines? Robots on the battlefield? Drones fighting drones? The Ukraine war has been transformed from an old-fashioned trench war to a modern one in a matter of years. On this episode of the podcast, Richard talks to Professor Phillips O’Brien, a defence expert and head of international relations at St Andrews University - an expert on the Ukraine war. He tells Richard how Ukraine's frontlines have developed with the use of tech and how Ukraine is now able to strike deep into the heart of Russia. Four years into the war, has the tide now turned in Ukraine's favour? Professor O’Brien gives Richard his assessment. Yalda also discusses Sky News' exclusive reporting in Minab, Iran. International affairs editor Dominic Waghorn is at the site of an alleged US strike on a primary school which left more than 150 people dead, most of them children, on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. You can watch Dom’s full report here You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryTrump versus Xi: Who will win the battle of the superpowers in Beijing?
3w ago00:25:11Summary readyA US President has not been to China since Donald Trump’s last trip nine years ago, so what will happen when Xi Jinping rolls out the red carpet for him again? Could there be progress made in Iran, Taiwan, or rare earth minerals? Yalda tells Richard what her contacts in the region are making of the meeting and where the war in Iran might be heading. Richard also details some of his reporting in the West Bank, in light of the New York Times investigation which alleges Israeli forces committed crimes against Palestinians. Some details of this story may be upsetting. You can watch Richard’s full report from 2023 here. And read Kristoff’s NYT piece here. You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryHow Pakistan became the peacemaker in the Middle East
4w ago00:33:59Summary readyMore than eight weeks into the war in Iran, an unlikely country has emerged as the go-between for the two sides: Pakistan. How did General Asim Munir emerge as both the Trump and Iran whisperer?Yalda explains to Richard how this came about and why India may feel sidelined.Richard also tells Yalda about the fear of Israeli extremists felt by some members of Jerusalem's Christian community. He has spoken to religious leaders following the attack by a 36-year-old man on a nun.A man has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault but not charged. The Israeli Foreign Ministry says: "This shameful act stands in direct contradiction to the values of respect, coexistence, and religious freedom upon which Israel is founded and to which it remains deeply committed".You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.ukYou can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryWho are the jihadists sweeping across Africa?
Apr 2900:41:56Summary readyOn Saturday 25 April armed terrorists rode into the capital of Mali in West Africa. Al Qaeda affiliated jihadists now say they are going to launch a total siege of the capital – home to some four million people. Who are these jihadists? What do they want? And could Mali be about to fall? Yalda speaks to Yousra Elbagir, Sky’s Africa correspondent, about the growing threat of jihadism in West Africa and why the world needs to pay attention - because what happens in Africa does not stay there. Meanwhile, Richard is back in Israel and talks about the potential opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu and why he’s keen to stay on a war footing. You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryHow does the war in Iran end?
Apr 2200:35:44Summary readyWith Trump saying the ceasefire with Iran is 'extended', how could this conflict end? And what are the long-term implications for the region, and who will dominate – Israel or Iran?Richard is joined by Hamidreza Azizi, an Iranian analyst and Visiting Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. He has spent much of his career in Iran, studying the regime, and talks at length about the current war, its origins and what could happen next in the Middle East.The two also discuss Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' in the region - made up of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. Azizi's new book The Axis of Resistance: Iran, Israel and the Struggle for the Middle East is out later in the spring.You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk
Summary‘Black Wednesday’ - Inside Lebanon after Israel’s airstrikes
Apr 1500:32:08Summary readyOn Wednesday 8 April, more than 300 people were killed after Israel launched ‘100 strikes in 10 minutes’ in Lebanon during what is being dubbed ‘Black Wednesday’. What exactly unfolded that day? Yalda has spent time with those who witnessed the attacks and shares with Richard what they have been telling her. While a shaky ceasefire remains in place between Iran and the US, no such ceasefire exists between Lebanon and Israel although talks are underway between the two countries in Washington. Richard gives his view from Tel Aviv, where life is much more normal. So what could happen next in this war? Listen to the full episode to find out. You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryInside Lebanon: A war within the war
Mar 2500:36:22Summary readyIs Trump winding down the war or just playing for time? Did Netanyahu just reveal his grand plan for the Middle East? And how is the conflict is playing out in Lebanon?Yalda is in Beirut where Israeli bombs continue to devastate the capital. She has spent time in residential areas that have been largely destroyed and spoken to people living there. Is this the Israeli next front line?Meanwhile Richard is in Tel Aviv where he managed to speak to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference. But why is what he said so extraordinary?You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.ukYou can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.
SummaryInside Iran: What's it like in Tehran right now?
Mar 1900:27:33Summary readySky News International Affairs Editor Dominic Waghorn and his team are currently some of the only international journalists inside Iran. The internet is sporadic but they managed to connect with Yalda to bring her news from straight from Iranian capital Tehran. The team were there to witness the Israeli air strike that killed Iran's security chief Ali Larijani. They were able to see the thousands of supporters take to the streets for his funeral and have spoken to ordinary Iranians about the conflict. Yalda also talked to Dominic and his producer Zein Ja'Far about the difficulties they have faced in reporting from Iran. If you have any questions for Yalda and the team, please email them at theworld@sky.uk You can also watch the podcast on our YouTube channel here
SummaryDid America and Israel just ramp up the war in the Middle East?
Mar 1800:34:05Summary readyIs Israel about to occupy Lebanon? Why is Donald Trump sending more troops to the Middle East? And what is it actually like reporting from an active war zone?Yalda and Richard discuss the latest developments in Iran and what the killing of the country's security chief Ali Larijani could mean for any peace process.They assess the reaction of the Gulf states to the war and look at how possibly putting troops on the ground could affect the conflict.Meanwhile, Israel says its forces have begun “limited and targeted” ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. What’s the justification? The pair examine the possible reason and talk about when they were both there in 2024.The two of them will answer listeners' questions, so write to them at theworld@sky.ukYou can also watch the podcast on our YouTube channel here
Summary